Insulator connecter



Nov. 11 1924. 1,515,193

G. M. EATON INSULATOR CONNECTER Filed Sent. 13. 1919 WITNESSES:

' Patented Nov. 11, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. EATON, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

INSULATOR OONNECTER.

Application filed September 13, 1919. Serial No. 323,594.

particularly to connecters employed in series-relate strain and suspension insulator sets.

One object of my invention is to provide a device of the above indicated character that shall occupy a small amount of axial space in an insulator set or other device in which it may be used and that may be conveniently connected and disconnected by the manipulation of a single member only.

Another object of my invention is to provide a connecter comprising relativelysimple, strong and durable self-locking parts that are not likely to deteriorate through Wear and weather and that shall permit the installation or substitution of a damaged insulating member of a series set in a minimum amount of time and by the manipulation of a minimum number of easily-handled parts.

Heretofore, in series-related strain and suspension insulators, and particularly in those in which the insulating members are of the disc type and usually connected by flexible cable loops, difficulty has been encountered in satisfactorily and efficiently connecting the cables.

Difficulty has heretofore been encountered in manipulating the, connecters that have been usually employed or, as an alternative the insulating members have been spaced apart in excess of service requirements.

In outdoor line construction, it is imperative that construction and repair operations be facilitated to the utmost by reason of weather conditions and other hazards that are encountered. The manipulation of nuts, screws and other small parts becomes almost impossible under certain conditions and it is, therefore, highly desirable, if not absolutely necessary, to eliminate these andrender all operations simple and effective.

In practicing my invention, I provide a connecter that is reduced to occupy substantially a minimum amount of space between the several members of an insulator set. This is effected by having the connecter parts relatively narrow and disposed transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the insulator.

Further, the parts are of such simple interfitting construction and are so provided with a simple transversely-operable wedgeconnecting member as to provide easier access to, and manipulation of, the connecter members of a strain or suspension insulator set than has heretofore been usual in similar sets having greater distances between the members thereof.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of an insulator and connecters embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan View of a partially assembled connecter; Fig. 3 is a detail view of parts of a connecter after it has been assembled;-Fig. 1 1s a detail View of a modified form of pin or wedge therefor and Fig. 5 is a detail view of a portion of the device, taken in the direction of an arrow V, in Fig. 3.

My device comprises, in general, a plurality of insulator units 1 each comprising an insulating member 2 that has metal connecting members 3 permanently attached to each end thereof, members 4 and 5 for attachment to opposite ends of a series of the units 1 and wedges 6 for attaching the unit-s 1 to each other and a series of the units 1 to the members 4 and 5.

The insulating members 2, preferably of porcelain and of the disc type, are provided with angularly-related transverse curved openings 7 for the reception of interlinked, preferably yieldable, metal members 8 having ends 9 projecting oppositely from the members 1.

The members 8 comprise complementary half-round or semi-circular cable or connecter portions 10, the outer ends 9 of which extend through tapered openingsll in transverse metal members 12 and have swaged portions 13 projecting over the ends of metal wedges 14.

The members 12 are identical and interchangeable and of substantially yoke-shape having relatively-thin flat transverse midportions 15 and integral legs or hubs 16 extending in the direction of the axis of the insulator and having the openings 11,'as described.

All of the units 1 of a series are identical,

axis of the insulator as the corresponding members 3 of the other units. This places the members 12 between each pair of the members 2 in the proper crossed relation for locking.

At the extreme ends of the series of units 1, the members 4 and 5 mate with the adjacent members 12 and are provided with means, such as bolts 17 and members 18,

for attachment to a supporting structure v 19 and to a current-carrying line 20, respectively.

The units 1 being all in the same angular position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the insulator, any number of the same can, therefore, be placed in series and have the extreme end members 12 in roper position for mating with the mem rs 4 and 5.

Between the members 2 of each pair, two of the members 12 are disposed in proximate crossed relation, with the mid portions 15 close to each other, in substantially right-angled relation, and the hubs 16 of each member 12 facing the other and projecting into a common transverse zone therewith.

Each member 12 has portions 21, projecting laterally with respect to the mid portion 15, at certain ends of which a oove 22 and a. tongue 23 are respectively a apted to register and interfit with the tongue 23 and .the groove 22 of the correlated member 12.

Certain other of the portions 21 of each member 12 are provided with wedge or pinreceiving grooved portions 24 and 25 which are, respectively, adapted to co-operate with the portions 24 and 25 of the complemental member 12 to receive the tapered I pin or wedge 6 that may be wedgingly mantained in operative position or be bent or otherwise secured after its insertion.

As shown in Fig. 4, the wedge 6 is formed circular in cross section and has a longitudinal split portion, at its smaller end, that may be opened, as indicated in dotted lines, to prevent the withdrawal of the wedge. In case of the employment of a wedge of this type, the grooves 24 and 25 will be modified to conform to the wedge.

The assembly of the units 1, each comprising the members 2, 3 and 12, is preferably a bench operation, whereby a plurality of readily-transportable and convenientlymountable insulator units are constructed W111Cll may be installed or renewed with great faci it the simple and convenient wedtge or pin 6 being the only extra or loose par All of the metal parts are preferably of sherardized, or otherwise rust-proofed, malleable iron or steel or they may be constructed of non-rusting material, such as brass. This ensures efi'ective co-operation of the members, prevents deterioration and facilitates their assembly.

When connecting two of the units 1, the co-operating members 12 of each are placed in the position illustrated in Fig. 2. The

"members 12 are here shown as displaced from their final locked position angularly, relative to the. longiudinal axis of the insulator but are in the proper longitudinal gplsition to effect, in the next operation, the

al registry of the grooves 22 and the tongues 23 and the wed e-receiving portions 24 and 25, respective y.

Each member 12 is of substantially H- shape having the mid portion 15 as its cross portion and the portions 21 as its side legs. The. members 12 are assembled by being nlaced together laterally with the mid portions 15 crossed at substantially right angles to each other. This relation places the portions 21, that constitute the side legs of the H, in end to end relation, thereby substantially constituting a hollow square with the mid portion 15 crossing each other normal to the sides.

In the final locking position, while the mid portions 15 are crossed, they are spaced apart to admit the wedge 6 therebetween. The tongue 23 and groove 22 are accordingly positioned to register when the mid portions 15 are, thus, separated. Ordinarily the portions 15 may be placed in cross relation and engaged but, when so engaged, they must be withdrawn until the tongue 23 and groove 22 are in register.

To facilitate the proper spacing of the members 12, in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the insulator, the walls 26 and 27 of the groove 22 are constructed to project different distances from the bottom of the groove. The wall 26 projects beyond the wall 27 and the tongue 23 is, correspondingly, formed longer on one side than on the other to assist in finding this position before the Wedge is driven home.

Relative movement of the members 12, about the longitudinal axis of the insulator may be effected to place the tongues 23 partially in the grooves 22 and-space the portions 24 and 25 to receive the wedge 6, or, since the wedge is relatively smaller in cross-section at its entering end and the bottom of the grooves of the portions 25 are sufficiently spaced at all times to permit the ready insertion of the wedge, the movement may be entirely efi'ected when the Wedge is inserted. The wedge 6, in operative position, extends diagonally w th respect to both of, and between, the mid portions 15.

The device is constructed to occupy substantially a minimum of axial space with respect to the members 1,.thereby permitting the latter to be placed relatively close together and reducing the overall length of a series insulator set. Further, by reason of the ease and facility with which the wedge may be inserted and withdrawn from operative position, the time and labor required to manipulate the device are greatly reduced, thus minimizing the hazards to the linemen and lessening the inconveniences caused by damaged insulators.

While I have shown and described a particular form of my invention, changes may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

claim as my invention:

1. A connecter for a series-string suspension insulator comprising two relatively flat crossed members disposed in proximate parallel planes transversely to the longitudi nal axis of the insulator to permit the units of the latter to be placed close to each other, said members having offset co-operating tongue-and-groove connecting portions and co-operating ofiset portions for the recep- 131 011 of a wed and a wedge extendin diagonally of t e crossed members in said wedge-receiving portions.

2. An insulator connecter comprising 00- operating members for attachment to adjacent insulator units, said members having tongue-and-groove and wedge-receiving portions extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the insulator, and a wedge tially T-head portions at the ends of each of said crossed members arranged in the form of a square of which the crossed members are diagonals, said T-head portions having tongue-and-groove connections between two pairs of the ends thereof and tapered grooves in two other pairs of the ends there-- of, and a tapered wedge for positioning in the grooves of said last pair of T-head portions.

4. An insulator connecter comprising two elongated crossed members, extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the insulator, having laterally-extending interfitting portions at diametrically opposite ends thereof and means for securing said portions in binding co-operative relation.

5. An insulator connecter comprising two elongated members disposed in proximate crossed relation transversely to the longitudinal axis of the insulator, said members hav ing laterally-extending interfitting portions, and means co-operating between the outer ends thereof for holding said members together.

6. An insulator connecter comprising two members disposed in proximate parallel planes transversely to the longitudinal axis of the insulator and having co-operating portions projecting into a common zone therebetween wherein a relative movement of said members about said axis places said portions in co-operative holding relation, and a single means for holding said members together.

7. An insulator connecter comprising .a pair of members having co-operating tongueand-groove portions extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the insulator and co-operating wedge-receiving portions, and a wedge co-operating with said receiving portions to holdthe tongue-and-groove portions together.

8. An insulator connecter comprising a pair of members having co-operating tongueand-groove portions extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the insulator and similarly extending co-operating wedge-receiving portions, and a wedge co-operatin with said receiving portions to hold the tongue-and-groove portions together.

9. An insulator connecter comprising a pair of members having co-operating tongueand-groove portions extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the insulator and adapted to be placed in adjacent inoperative relation, said members also having 00- operating wedge-receiving portions, and a wedge co-operating with said receiving portions to move the tongue-and-groove portions into operative relation and to hold the members together.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of Aug. 1919.

GEORGE M. EATON. 

